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Matt Barnes expects tougher Lakers this season

Matt Barnes heard all the talk during the offseason, after the Lakers got booted from the playoffs in the second round by the eventual NBA champion Dallas Mavericks. He didn’t like what was said one bit and he predicted things would change.

“You’re going to see a different Lakers team,” Barnes predicted after the Lakers played three 12-minute periods during a scrimmage today at USC. “There’s going to be attention to detail after being embarrassed last year and talked about all summer.

“People said, ‘This is a terrible team. They’re horrible. They need to trade everybody.’ Everyone has a chip on their shoulder. We’re going to come out here and run through walls this year. No more soft Lakers this year.”

Barnes scored 10 points in the scrimmage.

There was no winner or loser today since several players moved between the purple and gold teams. Barnes played with the starters in the first period, joining Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol and Steve Blake. Derek Fisher sat out to rest.

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